Novak Djokovicās clash against Taylor Fritz (currently into the fourth set) is the last game of the day.
Just after 11.30pm the chair umpire announced (to loud boos) that the crowd would have to leave Rod Laver Arena due to the lockdown starting at 11.59pm, so play had been suspended while fans headed for the exits.
The match resumed after around nine minutes.
Djokovic won the match in five sets, at 12.20am.
Report:
I ended up going to the Tennis last night and Iām glad that I did. Our seats were socially distanced, we wore masks and Rod Laver was not that packed at all (much less than it was when I went on Wednesday night). Vic Police were also roaming the grounds outside the arena asking people to wear masks outdoors.
I was also there when we were asked to leave at 11.30pm. The booing was all just the crowd having a bit of fun. Although disappointed to have to go because it was such a good match, everyone happily left the arena when asked causing no issues.
Tennis is an easy scapegoat to look like people were doing something they shouldnāt be. I can assure you walking through Richmond prior to the tennis the restaurants and bars were absolutely packed. I think a lot of people in Melbourne feel like theyāve been through this before, this lockdown is more of an inconvenience than anything but will comply for the 5 days. People had plans and things were running last night so not doing anything wrong.
It shouldnāt have been either.
Then again, racing and ethics have never quite gone hand in hand have they?
I canāt really stand this bitching and moaning by the public about elite sports being permitted to go ahead while everyone else needs to stay at home, usually with snarky comments about āDaN sAyS If i Go To A resTAuRant i wilL CAtCh coVid bUT DAn sAyS Afl pLAyeRs aRe ImMUNE!ā
Itās all about risk management over the entire populace. Some people will be permitted to do certain things which others arenāt. There are hundreds, if not thousands of local football teams versus 10-20. Elite sports and playing social tennis are completely different. It seems perfectly reasonable to me that a few people who play sports at the top of the pile should be allowed to play for our entertainment while weāre locked at home. The real danger isnāt a few elite sports people - itās the risk of a massive spread amongst the masses while they go about their activities.
I think people, especially in Victoria, are fed up with the one rule for sports people and another rule for regular people. Some people were a little annoyed that while they were in lockdown AFL players were off travelling around in QLD after the season. Iām not suggesting they cancel the tennis and the economy still needs to tick during a pandemic, but you need to see where peopleās dissatisfaction is coming from.
And I guess the same will happen for the olympics. Although HQ is too dangerous and risky I bet state premiers will welcome back returning athletes from the olympics. While those that have been trying to get home will not be allowed to get back into the country.
its such a shame that Ash Barty and Alex De Minaur will have to play their matches tonight with no crowds . 
Having Aussie supporters watching Aussies players means a great atmosphere
I think they should have just let spectators stay until the end of the matches already being played. Either that or the curfew should have started at 3am.
I mean, what would the difference have been? The people were already there. How did forcing them to leave at 11.30pm make it safer?
Greek tennis player Michail Pervolarakis says he has tested positive for coronavirus upon arrival in South Africa, after flying there from Australia. He played in the ATP Cup for Team Greece (which also included Stefanos Tsitsipas, Petros Tsitsipas and Markos Kalovelonis) last week, but did not take part in the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic claims most tennis players would rather see the 2021 season cancelled than complete more quarantine as they did ahead of the Australian Open.
āTalking to a lot of players, the majority of the players just donāt want to go ahead with the season if we are going to have to quarantine most of the tournaments,ā Djokovic said.
āIām waiting for some answers. I want to understand how our continuation of the season post-Australia is going to look like, because this definitely is not good for players in terms of their wellbeing.ā
Says man who held a super spreading event in Europe last summer.
Well for context on his comments, he was talking in relation to the injury that he has which he says is very likely a result of not being able to prepare properly for the tournament in quarantine. There have been a lot of other players with injuries this Australian Open too, so constant travelling, quarantine then being forced to still play 5 set matches is obviously proving to be pretty hard on the body.
I get the current context, but Iām not sure how much I want to listen to his thoughts on covid and quarantine. Perhaps a compromise could be reached with protected rankings by those who choose not to compete in available tournaments.
Heās being a spoiled baby. Its the first time in his life that the world has priorities above bending to his every demand and he is grasping at straws to validate his messiah complex.
Good. They can sit out if thatās how they feel about the general populaceās right to live COVID-free.
He has $220 million and he complains. Selfish. Retire if you think itās not a good idea. Let the virus kill people if you like that.
Iām sure he will be happy with the pay cheque that he receives when the open finishes.
I get the context but he keeps digging a hole for himself. I font care bout his complaints he is a tone deaf brat who only cqres about himself. I used to like him and his tennis but now cant stand him.
He has no class. Now look st Serena Williams she has not complained one bit! No one forced these players to play in the Aus Open under the covid cirucmstances.
Thereās a bigger picture to what Djokovic is saying and his comments may seem focused on himself but others are feeling the same impacts. Of course we are in a global pandemic and everyone in the world has been severely impacted in some way or form - but Tennis schedules are still trying to press ahead as close to what they usually do, the players are expected to perform to the same standard (including 5 sets for mens games) despite spending a lot of time being unable to train. There are a lot more players experiencing injuries in the current tournament. So I donāt think that it is a completely an invalid point to make even if his perspective can come across as a bit self centered.
I donāt think there is an easy solution either but I can see both sides of it. Nobody is forcing anyone to play either but itās also not easy on players to make those decisions. Maybe given the players arenāt able to train to capacity things should be considered like reducing Mens matches to 3 sets this year. I dunno. I do say props to people like Kyrgios / Barty who decided not to partake in some of the major tournaments last year for all of the right reasons and still keep a really positive, good attitude about it all.
